Blue Oasis
by Calintha
Summary: AU - Getting on the wrong side of the Bandit King, David, was only the start of the mess everything was about to become. You knew you should have said no when they had offered so much for a little information on David's new Tactician, for information on what he had planned and why he was being so quiet lately. Who knew that one wrong choice could lead to this kind of discovery?
1. The End Of My Beginning

I think the last time I remember being innocent enough to think things could still be okay in the world, I was little more than a small child sitting quietly on my mother's lap as she told tales of the wonders that had once filled the cities, my father steering a wagon back from the nearest town after scavenging for supplies to fix the pipes that brought water to us from the well after a dust storm had hit.

Luckily he'd also managed to find some new glass panels to replace the cracked ones in the greenhouse, the only way we managed to grow food anymore without having to worry about dust storms wiping out the crops all in one go. Of course, that required even more water from the well.

Every couple years, father would drill the well deeper as the underground water source slowly decreased as the world died a little more each year. Father would always try to ease my worries with tales about a place far in the distance where water was so abundant it sprang from the very ground and brought life to everything around it.

Sadly, the tales couldn't stop reality from setting in and when the well ran dry no matter how deep father drilled down, my 12 year old self had to face the reality I had been trying to hide from. Life didn't play fair just because you tried to be nice, it didn't ask for permission before taking something from you and it didn't say sorry when you ended up getting hurt. Because you would end up hurt. No matter how hard someone tried to protect you, no matter how carefully you lived your life, something would happen and you would be considered lucky if you didn't end up broken by it.

-

It wasn't long after the well went dry that we had packed up everything we could into the wagon and prayed we would be able to find a new water source before the camel was no longer capable of pulling the wagon. Sadly our prayers hadn't been answered and we'd had little choice but to leave most of our belongings behind, bringing only what we needed to survive as we continued on towards the distant town ahead of us, windows barely visible on the horizon as the sun struck their surface.

It had broken my heart to hear my parents cry as they were forced to abandon the album containing portraits of family long gone. The only one my mother had refused to part with was an small one of our family from back when my older brother was still alive, when I was still learning to talk. Wearily, I'd followed behind them, glancing back every now and then at the mound of sand that buried what was left of our camel's remains.

-

She'd died with that portrait clutched to her chest, my father's body laying a few feet away as I hid among the rubble of a decimated building. The scavengers had searched their bodies while I covered my mouth to muffle my sobs, my eyes aching as they tried to draw enough moisture to cry, a few tears managing to build up before the lack of water the past couple days took its toll on me and there were no more to fall.

After they were long gone, I'd crawled out of my hiding place and shuffled over to the bodies that had been rummaged through so carelessly. I'd spent the rest of the day digging their graves before beginning the search for food and shelter, the nearby building not offering much in the ruined state it was in.

I'd been lucky, finding a small group of wandering survivors to take me in. It had been more out of the idea of how I could squeeze into the smaller spaces for them and find supplies that would otherwise be unreachable, since their smallest member had grown too big for such use years ago, than anything else. Lucky me, even as the next few years past, I managed to remain flexible and agile enough to keep my usefulness with them until I was able to strike out on my own.

And so it was that at the not-so-tender age of 17 I stole away into the early morning, hours before they would be awake after the celebration they'd held the previous night upon finding a stash of still sealed wine bottles. Myself, I'd never been one for drinking anything that left me feeling like my head would explode if I moved. After all, I'd already learned that life would happily send death your way at any time and if you weren't ready and able to get out of it's way, you would end up just another unmarked grave with nobody left to mourn.

It would be a few years and a few cities later that I would find myself learning a new lesson, one I could only hope to live through. One of the most dangerous lessons of all.

You don't steal from the Bandit King, David.

-

Too bright. It was too bright and I couldn't see clearly. Clouds were nonexistent as I darted from one building to the next, trying to stay in the few shadows that managed to appear in broken doorways or under the rare remaining overhang, the sun burning bright directly above the ruins of the city.

I called it a city but in reality, it was little more than a large cluster of buildings that were falling apart, plants struggling to grow out from the broken roadways as old vehicles slowly fell apart and rotted into little more than shells of their former selves. Life tried to exist in the remains but most creatures stuck to the edges of the city, near the small forest that had grown up around it and blocked the view of most of the desert that spanned the landscape on most sides.

Summer was a harsh mistress in this part of the world, although not nearly as harsh as a summer spent in the open desert, the sun beating down as it tried to take away what moisture you had left in your body. At least shelter from the sun could be found around here, although it was easier when you weren't trying to escape from the biggest bandit gang to have taken over these parts, claiming the city as it's own and ready to steal from anyone who tried to pass through the area. Their victims where often those who had come here in hopes of finding a place to take shelter from the predators that wandered about the forest or the scavengers that wandered about the wastelands, ending up finding themselves caught by a different form of predator.

If only the four footed predators had been the only thing I had to worry about right now. Better yet, if only I hadn't gotten caught trying to steal from the Bandit King. Still, I couldn't help it. After all, David's enemies would have paid heavily for any information on what he was up to these days, paranoid at how quiet he had gotten recently. I wouldn't have had to worry about food, water or shelter again for the rest of my life, no matter how long I lived. Now I was left hoping to just live through this.

I couldn't stop thinking about what little I had managed to find out, his level of internal security beyond anything I had seen in a bandit camp before. Nobody even knew the name of his new Tactician, his previous one having vanished after rumors of betrayal had surfaced, a raid having gone bad and resulting in multiple losses. Of course, a few other higher ups had been replaced at the same time, a few members of the Kou family taking over some of the empty positions. It was the Tactician that everyone in the other gangs wanted to know about, wondering who was leading his now perfect attacks.

But what was of interest to me right now was the one thing I had learned while I was searching for information. Something I'd heard completely by accident and I had no clue why it stuck in my head so much or if it was even important at all.

All thoughts of what I had found out stopped as I heard a thump from behind me, turning quickly to see a young man crouched down after having jumped down into the alleyway I had gone down. What froze me in place was the sight of the weapon loaded and aimed at my heart, a tiny but lethal version of a crossbow strapped to his wrist.


	2. Captured

"Move and your dead." His voice rumbled from beneath the mask he wore, hiding most of his face from view and leaving little more than his dark piercing eyes in view as he glared at me.

I barely drew a breath as he slowly rose from the ground, his weapon never wavering from its aim at my heart. I could feel my legs begin trembling as he took a step towards me, what breath I dared breath catching in my throat.

I knew I shouldn't have tried to steal from David. I just knew if I was caught it would be the death of me and this moment seemed ready to prove me right. What had made me think I would somehow be the one to get away with something nobody had ever succeeded at doing.

I flinched when I saw him lift his free hand up, waiting for a blow to land. Instead I felt my own mask pulled from my face, the sudden change from clean, filtered air to the dirty, dry air of the city causing me to start coughing, my eyes shutting in reaction as I brought my hands up to try and cover my mouth.

Before I could even get them shoulder high, I felt both my wrists caught in his strong grip, freezing in place again as I felt him quickly move and trap me against a wall. Before I could do more than gasp and open my eyes to look at him, I felt him rip the wrapping away that had protected my hair from the same dry air that pulled the moisture from my lungs with every breath.

The laughter I heard next was, to say the least, a bit unexpected. Feeling the grip on my wrists loosen slightly, I tried to pull them free from his hold, only to freeze again when I felt him press up against me.

"Well, well... Our little thief is turning out to be quite the prize to capture today. And I must admit, I do like prizes. I wonder if David will let me keep you?" Releasing is hold on one of my hands, he quickly reached up and grabbed my chin, turning my face side to side as I brought my own hand up to try pushing him away.

I could almost see the unnerving smile that was hidden behind his mask before he stepped back, his chuckled apology lost as the air rushed from my lungs, his fist only moving from my stomach enough for him to catch me as I collapsed towards the ground. The added pain as he swung me over his shoulder had me seeing sparks of pain induced lights filling my vision before everything started fading to black.

I had just enough time to promise myself I would pay him back for that roaming hand before I lost all traces of consciousness.

-

Groaning at the pain in my head, I wished I could slip back into unconsciousness, to escape the pain if nothing else. Part of me was expecting to find myself tied down to whatever I was laying on while the other part of me wondered why I wasn't already dead. The lack of either expectation being meet already had me wondering when something would happen to bring everything crashing down on me.

There was no way I would be left unpunished for my attempted crime. I mean, who would let someone who had tried to steal something from them live afterwards if they managed to catch them? This wasn't a world where anyone could chance leaving an enemy alive to cause trouble for them in the future. Either you killed them or you found a way to make them an ally and I had no reason to believe David wouldn't prefer to just avoid any potential headaches I could cause him if he allowed me to live.

So why was I still alive?

-

I must have explored my cell thrice over already since waking up, trying to find either a way to get out or a weapon I could defend myself with. Sadly, it seems my luck had really run out, leaving me with no sign of anything useful within the room and no way to escape the door that seemed to not only be locked but also had a bar across it that I could just barely see when I peeked out the tiny grill of a window.

I'd finally given up and sat down on the thin bedding of the cot I had awoken on, leaning against the wall as I ignored the continued growling of my empty stomach. I could only hope they didn't plan on letting me starve to death in here, having come close enough in the past to know how horrible it was to go that route.

Maybe they planned to use food as a way to get me to join them? Starve me and then have me begging for food until I willingly gave up my freedom for it? Or maybe-

"Hey, stop daydreaming and get up already!" I shrieked when the voice shouted from in front of me, looking up to see the same guy from before standing in the now open doorway, although his clothing was different, showing far more skin than before.

The laughter that rang through the room had me blushing in embarrassment as I covered my face with my hands, mortified that he had caught me off guard enough to give such an undignified reaction to hearing him speak. There was no way I would ever be able to meet his eyes again, not after hearing him laugh at me like that.

"That reaction! That was hilarious!" Tears of laughter were starting to run down his face, one arm wrapped around his stomach as he leaned over, almost gasping for breath between peals of continued laughter.

When he finally slowed down his laughter and looked up at me, the upset glare on my face just sent him back into another laughing fit. It wasn't until he heard someone behind him clear their throat that he finally froze in place, his laughter stopped and the grin gone from his rapidly paling face.

"I thought we told you to bring the prisoner to the chambers. Was there something you didn't understand about the order you were given? I'm pretty sure the order was rather straight forward. Should I tell David that he needs to speak more clearly so you can understand him? I'm sure he would be willing to dumb things down for his underlings, don't you think?" The wickedness that flowed through the new voice sent shivers down my spine, a darkness curling about the corners of the room that hadn't been there before. "Just get out of here. I'll retrieve the prisoner myself. Now scram!"

It only grew when the almost groveling 'underling' almost fled from the room, revealing another young man, his black hair pulled back behind his head before trailing down his back like spilled ink. But it was his eyes that made me flinch, seeming to almost burn as he stared down at me, an odd jeweled length of something dark that looked like it could be either old wood or tarnished metal being twisted about one hand. The red gem at one end flashed as it caught the light, sending a shiver down my spine yet again.

"Get up and follow me, thief. If you want to live past the hour, that is." The smirk on his face was anything but reassuring to me.


	3. David

I don't know what I was really expecting to see when I was pushed through the doorway, but the giant cavernous room was most definitely not it. The small crowd of people scattered about the area looked up as they heard the skittering of loose pebbles across the stone floor, glancing at me for a moment before turning again and whispering amongst themselves. I couldn't quite seem to decide if I should be feeling shame at having been caught so easily or if I should let the bubbling fear for my life spill over as I saw the well-dressed man sitting on a throne made of stone, almost like it had been carved into place when the room itself was created.

As if his simple presence in the room wasn't terrifying enough, he was surrounded closely by the Kou brothers, the eyes of the youngest brother filled with things that sent shivers down my spine. After all, Kou-ha was well known for being a bit of a sadist. Okay, more than a bit, but I was trying to avoid freaking out here.

The sound of a throat being cleared had me quickly looking back to the throne, seeing David eyeing me with curiosity. Anything I might have been feeling before paled in comparison to the cold dread that filled me at that moment, those dark eyes seeming to bore through me like he could pull the information right out of me without saying a word.

It was the small hand on his shoulder that broke his gaze, his stern look seemingly ineffectual against the steady gaze of the woman beside him, her eyes meeting his unwaveringly until he finally turned his head away with a sigh and waved a hand towards me.

"Fine, do as you please Anneth. Just get the information from her and tell me whatever it is you find out. I leave it to you to decide what to do with her afterwards." What little relief I might have been feeling at not being questioned by either David or one of the Kou brothers quickly left when I heard a few of the men in the room shouting for her to let them have me afterwards, my skin crawling at the thought of being given to one of them like a toy for them to play with until I broke.

The voices quieted instantly when one of the men calling out froze in place before falling forward, a dagger sticking out of his back. Walking over the body without giving it so much as a moments glance, a young male stepped forward from the crowd, his eyes flickering over towards me before returning to King David as he watched on in interest.

"Well, this is an interesting turn of events. And what has you stepping forward, of all the people here? I thought you had no interest in such dealings as this. Was I wrong?" The look in David's eyes was one of an alpha wolf, looking upon another wolf and seeing if it was going to pick today to dare fighting for his rank.

"I simply wish to talk to the prisoner after Anneth is done with her. If she is who I believe her to be, she might just have some information I can use to enhance my maps. Nothing more and nothing less, my King." Bowing low, the blonde male kept his head down until he heard the laughter of the man before him.

"Always with those maps of yours! Very well, you may go with them. Maybe Anneth will let you have the woman afterwards. You need something to take your mind off those ever growing maps you're always working on! As useful as they are, I fear you'll snap someday if you don't find something else to occupy your thoughts." Scoffing slightly at the end, he turned his head and rested his jaw in the palm of his hand, closing his eyes as he let himself sink into his thoughts and seemingly ignoring the world around him.

I didn't even have the energy to fight as I felt myself lifted from the ground I had collapsed to, barely aware of my surroundings as I was lead back through the door and down yet another hallway, the stinging of my knees the only thing telling me this wasn't the dream I was hoping it would turn out to be.

-

"In here." The short command came right before I was pushed into yet another room, this one smaller as I landed on the floor, looking back to see the black haired young man from before as he grinned down at me like he was enjoying my suffering.

I was almost ready to kick out a foot at him when the smack of a hand against the back of his head had him almost falling forward, his hands coming up to protect his head from further attack from the white haired woman glaring at him from the entryway.

"Quit that before I decide to make you, Judar. Save your power trips for another time. David put me in charge of this girl, not you, now back off before you get hurt." The smirk on her face was matched by a mischievous glint in her eyes as she looked from him to me, holding a hand out to help me up.

I almost expected the guy, Judar, to take advantage of her turned back. He almost looked like he would until the other guy placed a hand on his shoulder, causing his head to snap to the side as he almost snarled at him.

"Hands off, Leon! I won't say it again!" He raised his hand, the metal 'stick' slowly growing pale as I watched. No, not pale. It was slowly becoming covered in frost, the air in the room growing cooler as he waved it threateningly at the blonde.

"Judar, do I need to tell David you are abusing your Artifact?" Anneth's soft voice carried through the room, a different kind of chill causing the shiver that ran down my spine.

With a scowl, he lowered the wand and growled towards Leon, turning to glare at Anneth for a moment before leaving the room. I could hear his footsteps echo down the hallway before finally fading away, the room almost eerily quiet as the two people left behind met each others gazes before turning to look at me.

"So, how should we go about learning what you know? The easy way? Or the fun way?" I held my breath for a moment at her question as goosebumps raced across my skin, my heart pausing before giving an almost painful thump, finally beginning to race in my chest as I looked up at them towering over me.


	4. Making Choices

It hadn't taken much for me to spill what I had learned, having heard someone mentioning rumors that could lead them to discovering a new Artifact, even if I hadn't known what they were talking about at the time. I hadn't even know if it was important or just them talking about some piece of old junk they'd heard about. Having seen what Judar had been able to do with the one he had, I finally realized just how important this rumor was. It was no wonder that David was able to maintain such control if he had such weapons at his disposal.

"They aren't all weapons. Oh, don't look so shocked. I didn't read your mind or anything like that. Your expressions and body language are so easy to read, I don't need any powers to help me figure out what you are thinking. I'm not a tactician for nothing." I couldn't tell if the look on her face leaned more towards irritation or boredom, but I do know that I don't want to get on her bad side, not if she had David's favor. And I would have to be blind to think she didn't after what happened in the 'throne' room.

"You're the Tactician?!" The shock on my face had her trying to smother her laughter behind a hand, the other grabbing onto the back of a chair, Leon simply watching us from a corner of the room with a bored expression.

"If you are done Anneth, I would like to start asking her my own questions now. After all, it's not often someone from outside the city is captured alive for me to gain information from. Usually the boys kill them all long before I ever have a chance to meet them. Of course, the ones that do survive are usually clueless about anything." I shivered a bit at the look he gave me, unsure if I wanted to be among those he listed as clueless or not. "Let's hope this one has something new to tell me that I can add to the maps."

Yeah, let's all hope, because I really didn't like the thought of where I would end up if I couldn't make myself useful with his maps. And I had a feeling he would know if I tried to make things up.

-

"Really? You haven't ever heard of Ural? But it's only a few weeks travel from here! I mean, I know it's not exactly a populated city, just a few survivors here and there, but surely someone must have passed through here and mentioned it before.. Right? I mean, seriously... Hasn't anyone ever gone through the mountains before?" My voice rose a bit in shock, not having expected Leon to question to location I had named.

"Through the mountains? Nobody has ever come out of the mountains before and every man who has ever been sent into the mountains either died before they got out again or came back half dead after searching for a passable route. It's nothing but dead ends, drops off of steep cliffs or endless caves with tunnels leading to nowhere. Nobody has succeeded in making it through the mountains before, so tell my why I should believe that you of all people have been to this city you claim lies in the midst of them." The disbelief that was thick in his voice had me almost standing up to yell at him. Did he think me weak simply because I was a female?

Suddenly, I relaxed in my seat, a certain memory coming fresh into my mind as I leaned back and sent him a vicious smile.

"But did any of them try finding the right tunnel to go down?"

-

Standing in front of David, Leon was almost bursting with excitement as he motioned to various spots on the map that was spread across the tabletop, but it wasn't until he began pointing out a particular part of the mountain range while he spoke rapidly about caves and tunnels that David began paying closer attention.

If this cave he spoke of did in fact lead to a tunnel pathway, then maybe somewhere in this city lay the hiding place of one of the Artifacts they were searching for. Sadly, with the rumors so vague and the few writings about them so worn and fragmented, it was impossible to know which Artifact might be there. And that was only if this was the city written of on the scrap of paper hidden away in Anneth's chambers. He had to know, needed that confirmation from his Tactician if this might be the one.

Sure there was a chance it might be another practically useless Artifact, with no purpose outside of specific situations. But for David, even the slim chance of it being the one he was looking for, the one that had started him searching for them in the first place... He couldn't just ignore this opportunity.

"Anneth." David's voice carried through the room, halting Leon's words as he worried if he had done something wrong. "What do you have for me? What is the likelihood?"

Silence filled the room as everyone but David turned their heads to look at the pale-haired woman standing beside their leader, a finger raising to tap at her chin as she contemplated her answer for a moment. Nobody dared to speak as they waited for her to answer, a few shivering as they remembered what happened the last time someone interrupted her thinking. Kou-ha had been quite happy for weeks afterwards, enjoying having a new 'friend' to play with in the dungeons.

"I would have to say that the chances are very high of finding another Artifact. The placement of the city suggests that it could be one that held great import, since all the strongest ones we have so far have been in places difficult to reach. Of course, that doesn't mean it will be one you would find useful, but it might be worth something to us nevertheless." Looking over at David, she furrowed her brow for a moment before speaking again. "I recommend sending a small group after it. The girl can lead them there in return for her life and I would recommend sending Leon along with her, since she seems to get along with him enough to listen to him."

"Very well. But make sure Judar goes along as well. He's been bothersome lately and I need some peace and quiet from his bickering with the others about that stupid peach tree of his. Let Leon deal with him for a time. Besides, I will be having a guest to entertain and he doesn't get alone well with Judar." Pushing away from the table, David slipped his hand into Anneth's and looked to Koumei. "See that this is done and show Anneth how well you have been taking to her teachings. Fail and I will make sure you regret keeping her away from me during those lessons she gives you."

It was lucky for Koumei that Anneth made sure David knew how important her Apprentice was to her. She didn't want to have to start training someone all over again, not when she'd found someone who seemed to take to her lessons like a duck to water.

Still, that didn't stop Koumei from worrying.


	5. Endeavors

"Watch your footing here, the rocks are going to be slippery from the last dust storm that came through!" I called out to the small group of men that were following behind me, ignoring the looks some of them cast my way as they failed to listen and ended up sliding down the path as Judar snickered at them.

"You would think they would listen to the person that Anneth named as the leader, since we all know what David does to those who fail to follow her instructions." The sadistic look in his eyes, like he was looking forward to watching their awaiting punishment, had more than just me shivering and hastening my steps to get further away from him.

We had somehow already made it quite a ways into the mountains, the pass closer than any of them could imagine it being, even if I only felt comfortable talking to Leon about the exact location as he sketched the path we took and its surroundings lightly on one of the sheets inside the notebook he always seemed to be pulling out of his pack every time we stopped.

Leon really did seem to love his maps. Enough that even Judar didn't dare to touch them for fear of the repercussions.

-

Anneth hid her smile as she was gently tugged down the hall behind David, the small frown on his face unable to hide the happiness he was feeling from simply being able to have her hand held within his own, knowing she was safely within his reach. After reaching their shared rooms, David tried leading her closer to the sheer cloth that hid the entryway of their bedroom, frowning when Anneth slipped her hand from his and turned towards her private labs instead.

"Anneth, do you not want to spend time with me?" His soft question reached her sensitive ears, the slight hint of vulnerability there that nobody ever got to hear from him but her.

"David, you know I want to spend time with you. Just let me check on my experiments first and I'll be right with you. Maybe we can discuss this upcoming meeting with Sin that you failed to mention to me previous to today?" With one sideways glance from her luminous eyes before she entered her laboratory, David knew he had made a mistake in not telling her earlier that Sinbad was coming by soon.

He just couldn't seem to help it. He didn't like the two being anywhere close to each other, seeing the not-so-sneaky glances the flirtatious man gave Anneth whenever he was around. It drove him mad and it was all he could do at times to not just forget all his plans and simply kill the man. Especially when the man didn't stop at simply glances and actually opened his mouth to speak to her.

David couldn't stand hearing the wandering merchant speak to her the way he did, even if he knew that Anneth was fully capable of taking care of herself. He still wanted to be the one who protected her.

That was why he had planned on keeping her busy with new research and experiments during the few days the man would be here, ready to provide all the 'research subjects' she wanted, just so that man wouldn't be able to so much as lay his eyes on her.

Sitting down on a nearby chair, David rested his head in his hands, wondering just how he was going to fix the mess he had gotten himself into. Why had he opened his foolish mouth and made it clearn he was hiding things from his beloved? He was smarter than that, damn it! There were so many ways he could have said it that wouldn't have gotten him caught.

He just wanted to keep her safe from that man's eyes. And his mouth, his hands, pretty much everything that made up Sinbad.

"Oh, how I hate that man at times... If he wasn't so damned useful, I swear I would just kill him the next time I saw him." Running a hand through his hair, he sighed in frustration and began thinking of all the ways he could try to earn Anneth's forgiveness.

-

"Are you sure this is the right cave? We've been walking for hours already! Shouldn't we have reached the end?" Judar peered into the pitch black depths of the tunnel that curved ever so slightly ahead of them, stalactites hanging from the ceiling in varying lengths, some meeting up with the stalagmites that reached up from the ground.

"Yes, we are in the right cave. No we have not been walking for hours, we have been walking for barely one hour. This tunnel takes time though, since it stretches through an entire mountain, just about. There will be a fork in the tunnel up ahead of us soon, however. We will want to take the tunnel that branches off to the right." I calmly ignored the look Judar gave me, slipping past him and walking ahead, the torch I held lighting the way.

"What's down the left fork?" Of course Leon would be curious, mapping down the tunnel pathway every time they stopped for even a moment, usually when one of the men complained about the uneven footing like it wasn't something they dealt with often.

"What's left of a treasure far greater than anything you would seek. But I doubt any of you would be able to bring much of it back with you, if any. But being the kind person I am, I will allow you to gaze upon it if you would like." Grinning at Leon and Judar playfully, I couldn't help feeling like a child about to share a secret that nobody else knew about.

Most likely nobody else did, since not many people braved these tunnels and those that did usually kept to the known paths, since it was not unheard of for cave tunnels to collapse when the mountains shook. I'd always been more willing to take risks than most, sometimes to the point of stupidity as I had proven with the actions that had placed me in my current situation.

My grin only grew as we neared the tunnel's fork, seeing the slight glistening of the stalactites as we got closer, ignoring the muttering of the men following behind us as I mentally separated Leon and even Judar from the idiots that trailed behind. I suspected that David sent them with us because they would be expendable if we needed to leave them behind at some point or it we needed to make a sacrifice.

Although part of me suspected he wouldn't consider it too much of a loss if Judar didn't come back, so long as we returned with his Artifact intact. As much as I hated to admit it, Judar had started growing on me. He might be whiny and he was definitely sadistic at times but he had also proven himself to be an asset to the group.

Besides, as long as I stayed mostly on his good side and didn't piss him off too much, he joined Leon in keeping the other men from causing trouble for me.


	6. The Road Less Travelled

Gasps echoed around the cavern as the men stepped forward, light rippling across their features as it reflected off the large pool in front of them. Thousands of gallons of clear water lay before their wide eyes, my own torn between watching their expressions and looking at the painfully rare sight that was filling them all with awe.

Even Judar was quiet for once, his eyes darting around as he seemed to calculate how many peach trees he could have with this much water before deflating slightly as he realized David would end up the one having total say over how the water was used. Once they found a way to bring it back, that is. If they could.

Kneeling down, I dipped one of my canteens into the clean water, filling it before moving on to the next one. I had filled my second canteen and taken out the cook pot to fill it. Turning to look at Leon and Judar, I shrugged my shoulders and spoke.

"I would take the chance to fill your own canteens if I were you. It will be some time before we have another chance like this." I smiled when I heard the sudden shuffling of the other men begin scrambling for their canteens as Leon and Judar retained their mostly calm outward appearance. As if I wouldn't notice Judar casually flicking water at Leon who responded by pushing the dark-haired male into the water face first.

I made a very hasty exit when the other men began pulling off their clothing as the hopped towards the temptation the pool of water was, the pot of water sloshing about in my hurry.

-

It was nearly an hour later that they made their way back up the tunnel, laughing and shoving each other about as I sat on the floor near the now gently boiling pot of stew, made mostly from a mix of root vegetables and some of the dried meat we had brought with us. I had already added a pinch of the seasoning I had 'borrowed' from one of David's men, a red-head I saw near Anneth.

He'd been adding it to his food so I knew it wasn't poisonous before I tested it after we left the city. It had tasted good, bringing back nearly forgotten memories of the meals mother used to make after a long day of helping father in the garden.

It was with those fond memories filled with smiles and laughter as we sat at the kitchen table, that I had made the stew for tonight's meal, even though I am sure Judar wouldn't like it when he found that his knife had been used to slice the vegetables. Maybe I could bribe him to forgive the incident if I offered him some of the dried peaches I had stashed away in my pouch.

It was when I saw Leon shivering as he cast a frown at Judar, grumbling about how cruel it had been to use his Artifact to freeze the water around him, that I changed my mind and decided to keep them for another time when maybe he would actually deserve the treat. I would just give him a bigger helping of stew to shush him instead.

-

"Anneth, do you know what happened to my bottle of spices?" Koumei's voice carried into the room, followed by the young man himself as his eyes cast about searching for the missing item. "I've been looking everywhere for it..."

"No, I haven't. Did you check with Sinbad? He does enjoy the luxuries life has to offer and you did do a rather good job on blending those spices." The offhanded compliment caused the young red-head to blush, knowing that Anneth did not offer them if she didn't actually mean them.

Something that often put a frown on David's face, wishing to hear more compliments from her as he struggled to find things to impress her with. Not the easiest thing, when he seemed to have to back-peddle his way out of messes. Like the one with Sinbad and secrets. He was still working on that one and the man had already been there for two days!

"He hadn't seen it and I even had Kouha watching him at meals to see if he'd been using it, since we both know he wouldn't be able to resist adding it to the bland food David has been serving him since he got here. I'm telling you, he's jealous of the guy being around you." He'd nervously looked around before adding the last line into his mini-rant, making sure David wasn't around to hear him say that.

"Hmm... Well, I'm afraid I can't help you find it then, but I believe I have some stock of the base spices and herbs you had used for it if you want to make a new batch!" Anneth smiled at Koumei as she pondered how much she could guilt him into if he took up her offer, smiling even more when he practically jumped at the opportunity.

She refused to tell him that she always kept a small stash of them just for when he ran out and needed more, with the thought of what he would owe her in mind. After all, with water such a scarce resource, not everyone could afford to grow the plants needed for a luxury item like seasonings that did nothing but change the flavor of foods into something more palatable.

It's not like she had to tell him she grew them anyhow as a way to bribe David when she needed new test subjects and he didn't want to offer them.

-

"Has anyone seen my dagger? Oh, nevermind. I found it! Wait a... Why is there STUFF all over the blade!"


	7. Vanishings and Awkward Smiles

I had found a use for giving him some of the peaches, after all, bribing him to help Leon watch over the entry to the cavern of water. If they had all gotten the chance to bathe, then I wanted my own turn to get clean as well! Leon had been kind enough to offer the use of his blanket to block the entryway and provide some extra privacy, even if it did nothing to block the sounds of Judar laughing sadistically as he shot off larger than usual blasts of frost at those who dare try to get past him and Leon. Guess being close to so much water gave his Artifact a bit of a power boost.

With just a mild sense of unease after things had quieted down, I stripped and walked into the water, ducking under the surface as I began to wash the layers of built-up dust and grime that had been clinging to me since before my capture. Sure, I had tried to scrub off what I could but it isn't like most people and places had water to spare for a luxury like a real bath anymore. Most people made do with sand to scrub the grime off and a hopefully soft cloth to wipe the sand off.

Using actual water to wash myself off almost felt like I was committing a crime. But I had to admit, it felt beyond amazing to have the cool water caressing my skin as I scrubbed the dirt from my body. It really brought back memories of the few times my father had let me float in a basin of water before he used it to water the plants in the greenhouse.

Nervously, I leaned back upon the water, wanting to see if I could still float like that or not. I couldn't help the gasp of shock when I felt my feet leave the smooth ground and my legs lift slowly towards the surface, water lapping at the sides of my face as exhilaration filled me. When the curtain was pulled aside and my two 'guards' rushed in with worry on their face, I quickly began sinking, panicking in my need to hide my body from their eyes.

"Get out!" I shouted when I finally found my feet again and had covered my chest with my arms, sunk down to my chin in the water as the two young men stared at me with their faces tinted red before turning around and running from the room.

Judar could definitely forget about getting any peaches for a long time!

-

Even now I couldn't look them in the eyes without blushing and scowling, caught somewhere between anger they had come in (even if they had claimed it was out of concern that something had happened to me when they had heard me gasp) and embarrassment at the looks they had been giving me since then. It was hard to miss them staring at me, after all.

From Judar's somewhat confused observation, like he had found some strange new kind of peach, to Leon's looks of admiration that he usually only gave me when I offered him new information for his maps, I was feeling a bit like a steak being waved between two hungry wolves. All I had to do now was wait to see who jumped first.

Come morning, we would be leaving the cavern of water behind, most of us traveling onward as a few of the men went back to tell David about the cavern of water. All I could hope was that I didn't end up murdering someone. As it was, a few of the guys had begun making crude remarks about the looks being passed between Leon, Judar and myself. Although judging by the looks Judar was giving some of them afterwards, I might not be the only one with blood on my hands if they didn't stop soon.

I have to admit, I was curious about the reactions that Leon's blank stare had gotten from some of them. He'd given more energetic reactions when he'd been guarding the entry during my bath, along with all the other times he'd been keeping the men at bay. Why would such an emotionless look get a quicker response than him threatening to draw blood ever got?

Was there something I was missing here?

-

Well, we had only lost one of the men by the time we moved on from the water cavern. He had vanished sometime during the night before departing, the only clue to his disappearance being an ink stain on his bedding. As nervous as I was at the knowledge he could take out a grown man without waking anyone up or leaving behind a body or even signs of a struggle, I was having a hard time stifling my laughter when I saw the men shivering every time Leon walked near them.

It was a while before I was able to start returning any of the smiles he had been giving me all day, something that became easier when we finally exited the caves and felt the warmth of the sun against our skin for the first time in what felt like forever.

Even Judar was sending me smiles by this point. Awkward looking smiles, like he wasn't used to anything besides cruel or sadistic smirks, but still a smile. I was starting to worry what would happen if they both noticed the other was giving me the same kinds of looks.

I didn't need two guys fighting over me when I already had David's threats hanging over our heads.


	8. The Gates Of Ural

Although we were out of the caves, getting to enjoy the feel of the sun on our faces again, we might as well have stayed where we were. At least in the caves, there was fresh water to distract the men from their petty fights, especially between a certain pair over who got to walk next to me. That ended only when we finally reached the part of the path that hugged the cliffside, leaving only enough space for one person at a time to creep forward.

I treasured every moment of the next 15 minutes of blessed silence, broken only by a soft whimper as one of the men felt the ground under them shift slightly as the stepped on a patch of loose rocks. I could only pray one of them would fall and leave me with one less to bring me a headache. Except for Leon and Judal of course. They might have their moments of annoyance, but they were also the only ones to bring me back from the insanity these other fools drove me to.

Thinking about them had me looking past gray rocks and brown dirt ahead of me to meet the worried gaze of Leon as he waited for me to catch up, the path widening out just beyond where he stood. Looking behind me as I slowed down my walk, I could see Judal following as closely as he could without letting me hear whatever he was muttering to the men when they got too close to him.

Whatever it was, it had them looking like maybe jumping off the path and onto the rocks below might be a more agreeable option than getting any closer to the dark-haired man before them.

I refused to admit to having seen a subtle shine of ice forming on the path behind him earlier on whenever one of the men started complaining too loudly. Especially if they were complaining to or about me.

-

We were getting closer to the city. I could see the ever-present mist that surrounded the city last time I was here, a mist I was told never left. Of course, that was a blessing and a curse in many ways. This made sure nobody passing by the mountains could see the city, as well as providing moisture to those dwelling within. It allowed crops to grow, even if only barely enough for the people who found sanctuary within the cities walls.

On the other hand, it also made them a target for anyone who decided to investigate the source of the mist, although that was seldom an issue with how rarely people came here. Most likely, I was the only one who had traveled here in years. At least, I was until now.

I actually felt guilty about what I was doing, bringing these men here like this, but I was first and foremost a survivor. I hadn't lived this long just to give up and let David take my life from me over refusing to show his men the city. Besides, they had their own ways of dealing with trouble. Otherwise, they wouldn't have lasted so long out here on their own.

I wonder how those two are doing these days?

-

"Are we there yet?" Came the same question I had been ignoring for the past 20 minutes of the slow climb up the pathway, wondering what I had done to deserve having a full grown young man whining at me like a small child.

Looking around at the stunted trees growing this far up the mountains, I turned off the path and headed into the treeline, leaving the men behind for a moment before Leon smirked at Judal and followed behind quickly. Before Judal could take more than a few steps in, he picked up a faint smell in the air of something he hadn't had in proper quantity since leaving David's city.

"Peaches? How..." Dashing forward, he was soon racing past me, his hand shooting out just in time to grasp mine and pull me behind him.

Laughing, I shrugged to myself and began running beside him, my eyes dancing about as I kept watch for the various dangers of running in a forest like this. Just the usual tree roots, vines and deadly traps that were commonly set to discourage those who might come with ill intentions towards those living inside the cities ruins.

I honestly don't know if Judal even noticed the small tugs on his hand or light bumps against his side to steer him away from snares laying partly hidden under leaves or tripwires low to the ground. It was only the sound of Leon grumbling from behind me every so often that let me know he managed to bypass them as well, although the scream of one of the men let me know not everyone made it through without incident.

The worst was the shriek when one of the set off the spike trap. Ru had never really cared for the spike traps but she just couldn't say no to that guy when he looked at her with those sparkling brown eyes of his. Especially when she knew he was doing it to keep her safe, as well as everyone else who was depending on them for safely.

It wasn't until Judal finally stopped in place, his jaw dropped as he stared at the small orchard of peach trees, that I finally allowed myself to relax and stop worrying about traps. Now I just had to keep an eye out for-

"Hold! Make one move and you'll be dead before you can blink!" That familiar voice called out to us from the other side of the orchard, Judal's shoulder blocking my view from spotting the red hair I knew would tell me which tree Myst was hiding in.

"Is that really how you would greet a friend? I really need to talk to Ru about letting you get away with this conduct of yours," I said with a smile as I heard him come crashing to the ground at the sound of my voice.

"Wha- How? Is that really you?" His voice shook with each word as Mystras slowly climbed to his feet and crept towards us, his eyes focusing in on my face as I moved out from behind Judal, ignoring his hand on my arm that tried to keep me behind him.

It was a sweet thought, his want to protect me, but I really didn't need protecting from someone I considered one of the few people I could trust not to betray me. Or at least not betray me without good reason.

Like the people I had with me attacking him without cause.

"Put your toy away Judal or I swear I will make sure you never taste a peach again in your lifetime," I stated softly, feeling Judal shiver before his hand finally dropped from my arm. 


	9. The Cup Runneth Over

The city looked just how I remembered, Myst's voice chattering away as he led us further into the ruins as we went to meet Ru. I was lucky that we had managed to persuade the other men into staying behind while me, Judal, and Leon entered the gate.

Of course, a good part of it was likely the looks the two men gave the others, expressions telling them just how short their lives would become if they failed to stay put. I was lucky that both Leon and Judal seemed to understand the need to be cautious in how we dealt with the people within the city walls. Or at least Leon did and Judal just followed along.

It was pleasant to hear the familiar sound of Mystras filling the air with whatever thought was on his mind at the moment, most of what he said seeming to focus around the upcoming harvest festival they would be holding. Although they were able to grow crops nearly year round due to Ru's careful planning and the building of several greenhouses, they still celebrated the seasonal crops they had.

Judal would love to find out we had come just in time for the peach harvest to begin. Something he would have around out from listening to Myst talk if he wasn't so busy glaring at the young man for no apparent reason.

At least Leon seemed to be taking in what he could of the quick words pouring from Myst's mouth. He had really changed from the shy boy he had been when Ru first met him, the red-headed male slowly growing into a friendly and brave young man, even if he never let go of the clumsy antics he pulled when he was really happy or overly excited about something.

Catching sight of a familiar head of hair, I couldn't hold back the happy shout as I began running forward, latching on to the young woman who seemed to have just finished discussing something with one of the citizens of Ural. The shocked look on her face morphed into a smile as she hugged me back, her voice quietly letting me know how glad she was to see me return safely, even if unexpectedly. Well, I had told her I would likely be away for a few years if not longer and yet here I was, coming back just a few months after leaving.

"It's a long story, Ru. One I am not sure how to even begin," I stated softly before turning to look at the two men who had accompanied me. "Guys, this is Ahiru. She's the one in charge of everything here in Ural, as well as being my best friend in the world. Ru, this is Leon, maker of maps, and next to him is Judal, eater of peaches and general pain in the butt. He can be okay when he wants to be and can be bribed to behave with peaches."

The laughter that filled the air was worth the trouble I knew Judal would give me later, especially with how rare it was to hear honest laughter these days. Sending a soft smile towards my friend, just happy to have made her laugh, I dreaded knowing that soon I would have to take that joy away by telling her why we were here.

Why hadn't I stayed here after finding this place and befriending Ru and Myst? Why had I not felt like this could be my home? Why had I taken that stupid job after I left? Why had I made one bad choice after another?

I had been such a fool.

"I'm not sure what this artifact is that you are looking for, but as long as nobody gets hurt, I don't see why I shouldn't let you search for it while you are here. Just don't cause any trouble and you can go wherever you need to within Ural. I trust you. We are friends, after all," Ahiru said with a smile, her hand cheerfully slapping against my back a few times before she wandered off to return to her work.

It seemed like her job was never complete, organizing and looking over an encampment of people this large. Even if it was mostly just the ruins of a city, it was still home to more people than most would ever realize. I had tried counting them once, back during my initial stay here, but had never been able to keep count. There were too many buildings, both old ruins and newer dwellings that were little more than shacks and huts, not to mention all the tunnels from the old sewers and maintenance lines that ran under the city itself.

It wasn't long before the three of us were wandering around the ruins, searching the abandoned areas where people didn't go often and the places that were too dangerous for them to attempt scavenging supplies from. Luckily for us, Judal was able to use his artifact to reinforce any weak areas long enough for us to make our way past to the safer areas.

Hours passed as we searched room after room, building after ruined building until finally night had fallen and exhaustion hit us hard. Shuffling to the bonfire that was set each night in the meeting area for people to gather for meals and stories, we were given bowls of still warm soup and leftover bread from the evening meal by a tired but smiling Mystras.

"Ru wanted to make sure you got back safely and ate before you went to bed for the night," he explained after seeing the curiosity that fought for a place among the exhaustion that dominated my features.

Judal and Leon slowly ate their share of the meal in silence, content to simply be done searching for the night and able to put warm food in their stomachs. If we had been this tired on the trail, we all knew we would have been lucky to have the energy to eat, forget the idea of actually making a fire and cooking anything decent as a meal.

With a tired yawn, we finished the soup, mopping the last of it up with some bread before rinsing of the bowls and spoons and putting them into the dish bin for cleaning in the early morning. We could barely keep our eyes open as we made our way into the small hut that was reserved for use as temporary lodgings, usually used when homes needed repairs but also when they had the extremely rare visitor.

It took a few days, Leon and Judal taking turns checking on the men outside to make sure they didn't cause any trouble during our stay, before we moved down into the underground pipes to continue our search. I was beginning to doubt that Ural housed the artifact David had suggested it might hide within its walls.

Midway through the fourth day of our search, everything began happening at once. An excited shout from Judal, eager words from Leon that quickly grew disappointed echoing down the tunnel as I made my way towards them to see what they found, and then the floor beneath me suddenly falling away as I went with it.

I'm not really sure what happened after that, but the next thing I knew, I was waking up on a cold floor with Judal and Leon leaning over me. Part of the chill had to be from the water slowly soaking into my clothing, small ripples in the water heard every time someone shifted position in the faint light coming from Judal's artifact.

As I sat up, both men protesting that I had to keep still until they could finish checking for injuries while I refused to stay any longer on the wet floor, I spotted an unusual shadow in a corner of the room. Climbing unsteadily to my feet, wincing at the pain shooting through my side with each movement I made, I slowly shuffled towards the dark mound I saw.

As they followed behind me, concern written across their faces (even if Judal was trying to hide it), the light from Judal's wand-like artifact began clearing up the sight before us. No longer hidden from sight, I could make out the form of what appeared to be an altar or shrine of some kind, the dark marble-like surface reflecting some of the light back at us and brightening up that part of the room even more.

As I came closer, I began slowly circling the thing, looking for possible traps as I searched for any sign of why such a structure would be down here below even the tunnels of the city. Tunnels which had been here for hundreds of years, causing me to wonder how long this had been here, hidden below the depths of the cities sewer system.

Finally moving close enough to touch the altar, I slowly ran a finger across its surface, pulling my hand away as I saw the distinct lack of dust on my fingertip. A chill ran down my spine as I began to wonder just what was keeping any signs of time passing from affecting this one object.

Looking around, I shivered as I noticed the crumbling stone walls, worn down with age as some kind of plant similar to a mossy algae grew along the wall where the water touched, coating the surface in a pale gray-green scum. It was only when I looked back at the altar that I noticed the ripples in the water resting at its base, telling me that somehow the water was coming from either underneath or within the object.

Searching with renewed vigor, several minutes passed before I found what I was looking for, the latch almost completely hidden by the lip of the stone sitting on top of the small structure. My breath stilled as I carefully released the latch, hearing a soft scraping sound as the hidden door was pushed outward just enough to grab the edge and pull it the rest of the way.

All three of us were left in awe at the sight of what had sat hidden within for all this time, knowing instantly that this one single item, this Artifact, could change the fate of this entire planet if it was within the right hands. If in the hands of the wrong person, it could bring the whole world to its knees.

I could only stare as I watched the clean, pure water that ran constantly over the edge of the crystalline cup sitting so innocently in its place within the altar's hidden alcove, the sound almost bittersweet to someone who had lost everything for lack of the life-giving fluid. 


	10. The Warmth of a Friend

"You broke it!" Judal shouted at Leon as we all watched the water's flow come to a halt the moment the mapmaker touched the cup.

"I did not, idiot. You know as well as I do that some artifacts refuse to respond to just anyone. Especially the stronger ones. Anneth will figure out what this one requires. She always does," Leon said firmly, pulling the Artifact from its hiding place before carefully placing it inside his pouch.

We slowly made our way back to the surface, escaping the cavern thanks to Judal's Artifact. At first, he had used it to create a stairway up, although we had to be very careful on the slick surface. He'd tried to do what he could to make it safer, creating guardrails, but even those had been rather slippery to hold onto.

In the end, it was only because Judal followed behind, Artifact at the ready the entire time, that kept me from falling and hurting myself yet again when my leg suddenly gave out from under me. His quick reaction had ice forming around me, catching me when I would have fallen. Moments later, I found myself in his arms, being carried upwards by a slowly rising pillar of ice.

"Judal, if you could do this, why didn't you just do it in the first place?" I questioned, not understanding why he had tried to make us climb ice stairs when he could have simply lifted us up on a pillar.

It was when I looked back from gazing down at the ground growing further and further away from us that I noticed the exhaustion on his face, the light from above finally reaching his face and shining upon the shadows under his eyes. I had no idea just how much time had passed, but I knew it had to be nearing time for the evening meal, based on the empty feeling in my stomach. Add to that, him and Leon must have spent time searching for a safe way down, either that or Judal had used his Artifact to make a temporary way down here, and he had every right to be tired.

I might not understand how the Artifacts worked, but I was beginning to wonder what the cost of using one was. After all, nothing in life came without some kind of cost.

"Hey! Stop trying to leave me behind, you idiot! And be more careful with her! You should have done something to keep her leg straight! We don't know why it collapsed like that and if it's injured, we need to make sure it doesn't get worse!" Leon's voice echoed up from the stairs below, the worry in his voice growing with each sentence he spoke.

A small part of me whispered inside my mind, wondering how two people who had started out as my enemies had ended up feeling like they were some of my closest friends in such a seemingly short amount of time.

* * *

"What do you mean it's broken? That's ridiculous! If it was broken, I wouldn't have been able to walk on it," I said, trying to laugh off the words Ahiru had spoken. Not because I didn't believe her, but rather because the idea of being unable to freely walk or run if the need arose terrified me.

"That was only because you were in shock and didn't feel the pain. You're lucky you didn't actually cause it to fracture more than it is. Walking on a broken leg risks causing the break to become worse, doing far more damage than most think about," Ru's words had me freezing in place, starting to panic over the thought of being unable to walk by myself for an unknown period of time.

What was I supposed to do now, unable to defend myself properly if something happened? And how was I supposed to prove my worth to David if he decided he didn't really need me now that this new Artifact had been found? I couldn't even run away from him if the chance arose! All I was going to be able to do for weeks, maybe months, is trying to hobble about on a pair of crutches! How was I supposed to get through the mountains on crutches?! I could feel my chest beginning to burn, not able to take in as much air as I needed as the panic set in deeper and deeper.

"Breath," Leon whispered gently into my ear, his hands coming to rest on my shoulders as he shifted to stand behind where I sat on the lightly cushioned counter that they used in place of an examination table.

Feeling myself hyperventilating, I tried to slow my breathing down, relaxing a bit as I felt a warm hand running up and down my back soothingly. My chest still hurt and I still worried, but it didn't feel as urgent with one of the people David had sent acting like things were still okay.

Maybe we could afford to take things a little slower, now that we had what we obviously had been searching for.

"Hey, Leon? What was it you and Judal found, before the floor collapsed under me in the tunnels?" After all, they must have found something, even if it wasn't what they were looking for.

* * *

"But what does it do?" I asked again, looking at the strange object sitting ever so innocently upon the piece of cloth that Judal held. They had made me wait until we were alone before they were willing to bring it out, not out of distrust for Ru, but rather so that she wasn't dragged into the path of David if he worried someone might learn of his ever so valued Artifacts beyond just rumors or legends.

"We don't actually know since the idiot touched it and it shut down before I could examine it for visible tells. I mean, I doubt it would have been as obvious as the Cup, but it might have had something that hinted at what it did. Without anything to go off of, all we can really do is see what Anneth can find out. That or test it with random people and see if it reacts to one of them, and I really don't think David would approve of that method," Leon said calmly, ignoring the shout of outrage from Judal as he was once again called an idiot.

"Huh... So what kind of tells did your Artifacts have? I'm guessing some kind of frost or ice effect for Judal's, but what about yours, Leon? I mean, I'm still not even really sure what your Artifact even does?" I peered towards the young man as his hand shifted toward his hip, the tip of his Artifact barely peeking out as his hand dipped into a pocket.

"Sorry, I'm afraid I can't talk freely about that. David's orders," he mumbled, obviously not liking that he had to keep secrets from me, but understandable with the kind of man David had shown himself to be.

"Ahh, don't worry! I get it! He doesn't like anyone finding out about this stuff because it could throw a wrench in his plans," I said, waving my hands at him before lowering them and shifting the blanket over my heavily bandaged leg, the metal brace holding it still uncomfortable as it rubbed lightly against my skin. "Gah, I hate this thing so much already! I hate being so... so helpless!"

I squeezed my eyes shut, face caught somewhere between anger and anguish as the two men looked at each other for a moment. Wrapping up the small mass of metal that made up the unknown artifact, Judal shoved it into his pouch and moved to stand beside me.

"Hey, you're not totally helpless. If nothing else, you can always verbally assault someone until me or Leon come in and take care of them for you! Besides, you talk as if one of us won't always be at your side while you are healing," the dark-haired male mumbled, frustration clear in his voice as he glared at a spot on the floor.

"Yeah, we aren't going to let anyone even get close to you until you are back on both feet and able to defend yourself properly again," Leon leaned in as he gently whispered those words into my ear, the feeling of his arms wrapping around my shoulders protectively filling me with an unexpected warmth.

A feeling that only grew when I felt another set of arms wrap around my waist.


End file.
